Health and Fitness : Warmlines a source of comfort to those in need

Have you ever needed to talk to someone? Are you just feeling lonely at this Christmas season? Do you just need a friendly voice and someone to just listen to you share some of your hurts and pain? Maybe you struggle and need someone to reach out to.

Warmline is a service that provides counseling, virtual activities, referrals and help finding resources to any Iowan seeking assistance or a listening ear. The service is provided to the community and is an alternative to a crisis line. It is run by those who have often faced their own trauma experiences, and understand some of the struggles that you might be facing. Your call can provide someone to help share some of your burden.

A Warmline call helps reduce hospitalizations and forced treatment and is a cost effective and non-intrusive, voluntary intervention to people in need of a listening ear. Unlike a crisis line, a warm line operator is unlikely to call the police or have someone locked up if they talk about suicidal or self-harming thoughts or behaviors. 

Peer Specialists are made up of others who has personally struggled with mental illness and/or addiction. Because they have had personal experiences with these struggles that have real knowledge of how to cope and can better understand your situation in some cases.

The mission of Warmline is to provide consulting, training and essential services to help organization establish, improve and sustain warmline across the nation. Through advocacy, a national directory and community driven funding efforts they aim to strengthen and expand these vital lifelines of support. 

The Vision of Warmline is a simple one. They seek to make our nation one where everyone can access compassionate peer support through well-resourced, high-quality warmlines. The group strives to empower communities by fostering connection, resilience, and healing through education, advocacy, and innovative solutions that ensure warmlines are accessible and sustainable for generations to come.

They value accessibility, empowerment, compassion, collaboration, innovation, advocacy, integrity, equity, sustatinability, and use a community-centered approach to building lasting solutions.

Warmlines seeks to provide peer support to everyone, regardless of location, background, or circumstances. They are committed to uplifting individuals and communities by providing the tools, resources, and support they need to thrive.

A Warmline Peer Specialist, approaches all of their work with empathy, understanding, and respect for the lived experiences of those they serve. They value partnerships and teamwork, recognizing that collective efforts create stronger, more sustainable solutions. The purpose of the organization is to connect individuals to the help they need.

Utilizing research from scientific, sociological, and public health studies the organization can show how Warmlines transform lives, reduce reliance on emergency care, and strengthen public health infrastructure while saving costs.

If you or someone you know needs a bit of help or is struggling, freely free to reach out by calling 1-844-775-9276. (1-844-775-WARM) Calls are answered seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. (CST).